Abstract: A method of spreading a pulp for the purpose of drying it naturally, the pulp having a solid fraction which has a d.sub.80 of less than 100 microns. This method comprises the following steps:(a) adjusting the level of solids of the pulp to between 2 and 25%;(b) adding a flocculating agent to the pulp and mixing it with same, the amount of said flocculating agent being between two-thirds of 98% of the optimum required fo the flocculation of said pulp; and(c) spreading the mixture of pulp and flocculating agent, in the open air, in a bed the sides of which are permeable, and the bottom of which has a slope of less than 5 meters per 1000 meters, said spreading taking place 1 to 20 minutes after the adding are mixing of the flocculating agent.

Abstract: A method of spreading a pulp for the purpose of drying it naturally, the pulp having a solid fraction which has a d.sub.80 of less than 100 microns. This method comprises the following steps:(a) adjusting the level of solids of the pulp to between 2 and 25%;(b) adding a flocculating agent to the pulp and mixing it with same, the amount of said flocculating agent being between two thirds and 98% of the optimum required for the flocculation of said pulp; and(c) spreading the mixture of pulp and flocculating agent, in the open air, in a bed the sides of which are permeable, and the bottom of which has a slope of less than 5 meters per 1000 meters, said spreading taking place 1 to 20 minutes after the adding and mixing of the flocculating agent.

Abstract: A process of upgrading garnieritic ores, oxidized nickelifer ores of lateritic origin which includes subjecting the ore to controlled attrition and classifying particles so formed according to their size, those having a dimension smaller than a predetermined value being recovered.

Abstract: A process of electrodepositing a layer of ferro-nickel alloy using a soluble anode consisting of anodic baskets filled with ferro-nickel shot of a composition substantially identical to that of the layer which it is desired to deposit.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for producing ferro-alloys from ore in which an ore is first mixed with a solid reducing agent, preheated and pre-reduced in a rotary kiln, and smelted in an electric furnace, in which the pre-reduced ore is heated by a burner provided in the electric furnace where it is also reoxidized. The ore is also heated in the rotary kiln by recycled gas.

Abstract: The invention provides a process of producing steels containing nickel, particularly corrosion-resistant steels, which involves refining the metal bath obtained from the smelting of a ferro-nickel by adding to said metal bath in a refining converter ferro-nickel shot while concurrently contacting the metal bath with an oxygen-containing gas, e.g., a mixture of oxygen and argon, the addition of the ferro-nickel shot being carried out while controlling the flow rate of the shot in such a way that the temperature of the converter is maintained at a pre-selected level and the contacting of the oxygen-containing gas with the bath being carried out until the carbon content of the bath is reduced to a low level, e.g., about 0.04%. The inventive process permits the initial carbon and silicon levels of the metal bath to exceed 1% and 0.4%, respectively.

Abstract: A method of extracting constituent metal values from sea nodules containing copper, cobalt, iron and nickel is disclosed. The method involves melting the nodules under reducing conditions to obtain a concentrate containing said metals and reacting the metal concentrate in an aqueous medium with gaseous chlorine to obtain an aqueous solution containing the chlorides of said metal. Copper is thereafter precipitated from the aqueous solution and subsequently electrorefined, while the iron and cobalt are extracted from the aqueous solution by means of organic extractants and then re-extracted from the organic phases by aqueous phases.